Anti AIDS vaginal Gel fails test

[DaemonSeid]

The first anti-AIDS vaginal gel to make it through late-stage testing failed to stop HIV infection in a study of 6,000 South African women, disappointed researchers announced Monday.

The study was marred by low use of the gel, which could have undermined results, they said. Women used it less than half the number of times they had sex, and only 10 percent said they used it every time as directed.

Scientists are still analyzing the results to see if this made a difference. They also plan more tests on a revamped gel containing an AIDS drug that they hope will work better.

The gel used in the current study did prove safe, however, and researchers called that a watershed event.

But for now, the effort is the latest disappointment in two decades of trying to develop a microbicide, a cream or gel women could use to lower their risk of getting HIV through sex. A female-controlled method is especially needed in poor countries where women often can't persuade men to use condoms.

A year ago, scientists stopped two late-stage tests of a different gel after early results suggested it might raise the risk of HIV infection instead of lowering it.

The new study tested Carraguard, a microbicide developed by the nonprofit, New York-based Population Council. It contains carrageenan, which comes from seaweed and is widely used in the food and cosmetics industries as a gel, stabilizer and thickening agent. Lab, animal and early human tests suggested it might prevent HIV and other sexually spread infections.

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/81156/Fi...gel-fails-test

[AlethiaSi]

At the end of the study, there were 134 new HIV infections in the Carraguard group and 151 in the fake gel group, a rate of 3.3 infections per 100 women each year in the microbicide group and 3.7 for the placebo group.

''The results are comparable,'' with no statistically significant difference, said Khatija Ahmed, a microbiologist who headed the study's Setshaba Research Centre site near Pretoria.

However, women in the study used the gels only 44 percent of the time, and some used it hardly at all. Researchers are still analyzing the numbers to see what that means. If nonuse was far greater in the microbicide group than the placebo group, ''it could have had an impact on our final study results,'' said Barbara Friedland, the study's behavioral coordinator.

hmm, I'd like to see what AKA_monet (and the other scientists) have to say about this, The amount of error is so high... I've been out of school too long and I can't really evaluate the results, I think i'd be way off.

I'm wondering if the use of the gel is actually comfortable, I mean does it burn, does it lubricate, etc... that might have something to do with how often it was used...

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by AlethiaSi

hmm, I'd like to see what AKA_monet (and the other scientists) have to say about this, The amount of error is so high... I've been out of school too long and I can't really evaluate the results, I think i'd be way off.

I'm wondering if the use of the gel is actually comfortable, I mean does it burn, does it lubricate, etc... that might have something to do with how often it was used...

well my issue is...in a third world nation where there are multitudes of reasons why people wouldn't use this (especially when tribal rape is so high) it's no wonder that this is failing...

[AlethiaSi]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

well my issue is...in a third world nation where there are multitudes of reasons why people wouldn't use this (especially when tribal rape is so high) it's no wonder that this is failing...

very true, and the cost and getting the product is another problem, sure it's one thing to do an experiment and provide the gel, but to buy something like this on their own when other more "conventional" methods have failed, it's even more likely not to work. It's not like they can go into a local wal*mart or whatever and get these things.

This makes me think of that anti-rape condom.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by AlethiaSi

hmm, I'd like to see what AKA_monet (and the other scientists) have to say about this, The amount of error is so high... I've been out of school too long and I can't really evaluate the results, I think i'd be way off.

I'm wondering if the use of the gel is actually comfortable, I mean does it burn, does it lubricate, etc... that might have something to do with how often it was used...

Eh, I'd say the study itself is basically invalid. That low of a usage combined with no way to know which partners had HIV means that you really can't draw conclusions.

[AKA_Monet]

The gel concept was used to provide a "safety net" to African women who have very little rights to their bodies. Rape is rampant and impregnation along with HIV is a constant daily factor in these women's lives. A young girl has ZERO protection with the coming onslaught of men, except to leave the continent of Africa.

So, as I was told in a Global Health Meeting with the Gates Foundation and US PEPFAR funds, providing a discrete method of birth control and HIV protection, as well as HSV-2 protection MIGHT stave off the risk. Men will not wear condoms in Africa, period... So, a water soluble gel, like KY jelly with nonaoxyl-9 and other items could be "discrete" enough to "protect" the women...

Unfortunately, it is not working. There are other issues, mostly social and political, the physicians and biotech just cannot fix. Meanwhile millions of women and children die in Africa. These results are disheartening.

I did ask at this meeting why are the men extremely brutal sexually? As usual, I got cursed out... But what is happening with women in Africa can EASILY happen anywhere else if we ignore the telltale signs and not resolve it.

Interestingly, both India and China have started working on Africa...

And from what I understand in some parts, of subSaharan Africa, Dubai has a vested interest. Maybe they can help?

There is a reason why President Bush is there...

[Educatingblue]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

The gel concept was used to provide a "safety net" to African women who have very little rights to their bodies. Rape is rampant and impregnation along with HIV is a constant daily factor in these women's lives. A young girl has ZERO protection with the coming onslaught of men, except to leave the continent of Africa.

So, as I was told in a Global Health Meeting with the Gates Foundation and US PEPFAR funds, providing a discrete method of birth control and HIV protection, as well as HSV-2 protection MIGHT stave off the risk. Men will not wear condoms in Africa, period... So, a water soluble gel, like KY jelly with nonaoxyl-9 and other items could be "discrete" enough to "protect" the women...

This is a very unfortunate situation. The interesting thing about several developing countries in Africa is economically they are catching up with the rest of the world, but when it comes to social/cultural norms, they are light years behind (lets not get on female circumcision, which is still readily practiced). I am not saying completely assimilate to Western culture, but why continue detrimental practices?

I often wonder how many people have to die in African countries or any other country for that matter before people realize the seriousness of HIV/AIDs.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by Educatingblue

This is a very unfortunate situation. The interesting thing about several developing countries in Africa is economically they are catching up with the rest of the world, but when it comes to social/cultural norms, they are light years behind (lets not get on female circumcision, which is still readily practiced). I am not saying completely assimilate to Western culture, but why continue detrimental practices?

I often wonder how many people have to die in African countries or any other country for that matter before people realize the seriousness of HIV/AIDs.

Rape by men against women is an issue of power. Women are powerless in these countries as well as several developed ones. So, what it takes is some sort of movement or change in the conceptual understanding of social norms and mores between men and women.

There is another issue: Malaria is not a joke in these countries. Children every day die due to malnourishment and malarial infections. Then, we have not started to discuss the genetic predisposition of sickle cell disease. Most Africans living in the tropics have either sickle cell or the trait for a protection against malaria. It just so happens that sickle cell is a risk factor for HIV infection as well as other viral infections, like HSV-2. Since the suffering population never gets older than 40-something, they never see the end-effects of what sickle cell or HSV-2 infection does, i.e. leukemia and skin ulcers... Ironically, malnourshiment causes the suffering to last longer because if you starve a virus, it cannot replicate and do its damage. Making this a powder-keg double edge sword kind of thing.

I do not know what to think (other than bad and horrid) regarding the poor conditions seen in Africa. But, I do know this problem should be solved some kind of way and I am interested in being part of that solution...

Oh yeah, Tanzania and other parts are spraying with DTT...

[nikki1920]

Also, there is the myth that if you have sex with a virgin one will be cured of AIDS/HIV.

[Educatingblue]

Originally Posted by nikki1920

Also, there is the myth that if you have sex with a virgin one will be cured of AIDS/HIV.

I remember seeing a special about that on Oprah (the girl she interviewed who was raped every time she went to the village to get water). It just makes me wonder how they think they will be cured and what good is it if every infected man in the village continually rapes the same "virgins"

[SoEnchanting]

I'm glad someone posted this, as I saw the article earlier today and thought it was really interesting. I'm just glad someone is taking the time to do something about the AIDS epidemic in Africa. However, there are so many socioeconimical issues also wrapped up into this - it's going to take a lot more than a gel to fix the problem.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by AlethiaSi

This makes me think of that anti-rape condom.

I had never, ever heard of this - interesting product! Wow, that thing looks painful (for the male). It doesn't say on the site if it's ever hit the market, I wonder if it's been used anywhere?

[PhiGam]

Originally Posted by Educatingblue

I remember seeing a special about that on Oprah (the girl she interviewed who was raped every time she went to the village to get water). It just makes me wonder how they think they will be cured and what good is it if every infected man in the village continually rapes the same "virgins"

I saw that same special, it was really heartbreaking.

[AlethiaSi]

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

I had never, ever heard of this - interesting product! Wow, that thing looks painful (for the male). It doesn't say on the site if it's ever hit the market, I wonder if it's been used anywhere?

According to the site, it says that it should be available in 2006 (i'm not sure in the U.S. though) but the wiki page says April 2007
and mass produced in China...

[AKA_Monet]

You all know that many of the men in Africa are not circumsized... That means that the extra flesh could be deformed and/or diseased upon erection...